Theodor

Yes, they have a membership badge. It is a copy of the royal times badge of the Reserve officers union. Here is mine. And yes they have a magazine - 5-6 issues per year, and indeed it is interesting - a little recent news, some world history and most interesting for me - Bulgarian history and their own memories. And here's their site - not the best possible work, but that's the way it is. And no English version, as far as I can see... http://www.eamci.bg/vnvu/

Yes and yes The first class of the Military of H.M. School was from 1878. Starting with the 48th Class /this is the earliest album that I have, also some other collectors have not seen older albums so far/, finishing with 68 /early postwar/, each officer from the given Class received such an album at his graduation. Also their teachers and officers in the School received the same albums for the Classes they have been with. BTW, a couple of classes did not have such albums, because of the dramatic events in Bulgaria in 1944-45 - they graduated earlier /more than an year/ and were sent to the front against Germany - in fact got their first officer rank /podporuchyk/ right at the front. Later I will show some photos, will make a separate thread. Also the NCO school, some units and etc. did have their own yearly albums, but the graduation albums of the Military of H.M. School were the nicest. And the second question - after the fall of the regime, the former officers /the "royal officers"/ established their organization - 1991 or 92 if not wrong. Unfortunately through all these years great many of them passed, but there are still people alive and the organization exists and works. It is not only for them, it is also opened for people sharing their ideas - love for the country, anticommunism, interest in history, etc. /like me, a member there /

I am sure 1 and 11 are not the same person! The nose, the shape of the face, the chin - no way, in my opinion. The man on photo 1 and on my photo has good chances to be one and the same person. This is Kiril Tomov, graduated in 1935 as Air Force officer in the 55th Class of the Military of H.M. School. /Grandfather graduated the same class, but as an officer of the Artillery, he moved to the Air Force and became a pilot 2 years later, in 1937, when the Air Force was rebuilt and many officers were needed at once/. As said, Tomov graduated as Air Force officer in 1935, however his luck did not work one day. As a tradition, at the time of their graduation, each class of new officers of the Military School traveled around the country, visiting many towns, historical places, etc. - a very good excursion with patriotic motives. But at one stage of the trip, when climbing on a train already moving, Tomov fell /have heard different stories - stumbled in his cloak, another story - more likely - stumbled with his sword/ - whatever the reason, he fell and the train wheels cut part of his leg. Not much I think, if remember right only the heel. And here comes the more extraordinary! Years later, postwar, he had a similar accident! Can not remember now, whether a train or a tramway, but lost his legs! Said that, of all the dozens and dozens of officers from that class, he was one of the last alive, probably until 5 or 6 or so years ago. Only one of his colleagues outlived him. Unfortunately I never managed to meet him, but according to the last survivor from that class /again a pilot, passed less than 2 years ago, he was born 1913!!/, Tomov had been alive until recently and at some time stopped responding. I am unsure about his officer career. Fir sure it was marked by the partial loss of a leg at its very beginning. I think he must have remained as an Air Force officer, but most likely with ground duties and if did fly, probably he did it as an observer only. There are 4 volumes, containing the careers of 99% of all officers from 1879 to 1945, when I have a chance will look in those to see his service details.

The very first picture in this thread - is there a date or a name on it? He looks familiar to me, I think it is possible that it is the same guy /on my photo - still in the Military School, already training for airman/. What do you think, could this be him?

And finally, the label. That's it! :cheers:

the inside... Thanks Kev! Unfortunately not. Looked on and under the leather - no name.

other detail

Wonderful chicken in bullion

Guess what, I feel happy today

Hi guys, see what I got today :cheers: :cheers: Romanian air force officer hat!! That must be one of the harder to find WW2 hats! Isn't it nice! :cheers:

The back side with the wide tin nuts

Detail

No, the common army capes did not have such clasps. These clasps were for the Air Force only. I took some photos of mine, so you can see the details /both halves are original, though did not come together, as seen from the color and the more smooth background on one/. Still can be considered a set, if not looking too much in detail :rolleyes:

Nice photos! No, that's School /Gymnasium/ uniform, with the school name on the hat. Sorry, the letters are not well seen, can't read it. Indeed the other one is Red Cross uniform. Also there was Red Cross at the Air Force - same uniform with the Air Force bullion wings on the chest. That's right, Rick - the cape boards are small shoulder boards. With special miniature pips and buttons, only for those boards. The rubber capes have the same boards, made of rubber, again with small pips and buttons. Here is the miniature board on my Doctor's cape

Hi guys, yesterday got the second Dreieckrechner - with the 2 aircraft on it. I find it unusual, I think all other that I have seen had only 1 aircraft. So what is it, just a vartiation, or had some different functions, compared to the other one? The left one is 1940, the right one is 1939

No, IMO not palm trees, but common locust or other similar trees /don't know the names/ that are seen in many parts of Europe.

Hi guy, please help - do you recognize this building? Where is it? /or where has been/. I think the text over the photo is "Artillerie - Kaserne". Any ideas? Thanks! /BTW, I post it in the German section, because of the German word Kaserne - but it could be also in Austro-Hungary or somewhere else.../

A little late for the discussion but - there were no AF daggers. Only the Common Army /as seen in this thread/ and the Naval dagger, very similar to it.

This one is preserved! Have two more /infantry, I think/, missing the small boards :speechless:

Officer Doctor's mantle

One button is silver, not gold. He used what he had in the pocket!

This one is a little better preserved, although the boards are missing here, too.

This is the actual color:

And back to the coats. This one needs some buttons. And boards. And time machine to get rid of the holes :rolleyes:

And something not so well tailored and a bit out of the regulations IMO. A summer service canvas tunic to a Pioneer officer, with collar tabs applied and made in such a way, that can be worn with opened collar. These "self-made" jackets are interesting, too, during the WW2 many variations of them were seen more and more often. One old officer remembered, that during their advance to Germany at the end of the war, they were capturing warehouses here and there and the unit's tailor was making service tunics-jackets for the officers - quite far from the regulations for the uniforms, but very comfortable for use.